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Content ArticleThe number of under-50s worldwide being diagnosed with cancer has risen by nearly 80% in three decades, according to the largest study of its kind. Global cases of early onset cancer increased from 1.82 million in 1990 to 3.26 million in 2019, while cancer deaths of adults in their 40s, 30s or younger grew by 27%. More than a million under-50s a year are now dying of cancer, the research reveals. Experts are still in the early stages of understanding the reasons behind the rise in cases. The authors of the study, published in BMJ Oncology, say poor diets, alcohol and tobacco use, physical inactivity and obesity are likely to be among the factors. “Since 1990, the incidence and deaths of early onset cancers have substantially increased globally,” the report says. “Encouraging a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, the restriction of tobacco and alcohol consumption and appropriate outdoor activity, could reduce the burden of early onset cancer.”
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News Article
Brain fog after Covid linked to blood clots - study
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Blood clots in the brain or the lungs might explain some common symptoms of "Long Covid", including brain fog and fatigue, a UK study suggests. In the study, of 1,837 people admitted to hospital because of Covid, researchers say two blood proteins point to clots being one cause. It is thought 16% of such patients have trouble thinking, concentrating or remembering for at least six months. But the research team, from the universities of Oxford and Leicester, stress: Their findings are relevant only to patients admitted to hospital. They are "the first piece of the jigsaw" but further research is needed before they can propose or test any potential treatments. They tracked cognitive problems at six and 12 months only and through tests and questionnaires, which may "lack sensitivity". Identifying predictors and possible mechanisms was "a key step" in understanding post-Covid brain fog, study author Prof Paul Harrison, from the University of Oxford, said. Leicester's professor of respiratory medicine, Chris Brightling, said: "It's a combination of someone's health before, the acute event itself and what happens afterwards that lead on to physical and mental health consequences." Read full story Source: BBC News, 31 August 2023 -
Content ArticlePatients have better outcomes with female surgeons, a study from Wallis et al. has found. In a cohort study of 1 million patients, those treated by a female surgeon were less likely to experience death, hospital readmission, or major medical complication at 90 days or 1 year after surgery. This association was seen across nearly all subgroups defined by patient, surgeon, hospital, and procedure characteristics.
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News ArticleAn NHS body is encouraging women with breast cancer from minority backgrounds to take part in more clinical trials, after research found they are under-represented in studies that can offer life-saving treatment. The pilot project, supported by the NHS Race and Health Observatory, is intended to improve representation in breast cancer clinical trials partly through culturally sensitive communications to people from racially diverse backgrounds. Research from the UK Health Security Agency suggests young black women are more likely to have aggressive breast cancer tumours, experience poorer care and have higher mortality rates, but are significantly under-represented in clinical research. Their lack of inclusion in trials could be partly down to distrust of the research process and a lack of knowledge, according to research by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research. The project, which works in conjunction with Macmillan Cancer Support and the pharmaceutical company Roche, will run for a year and look at developing new ways for people with breast cancer to access clinical trials. It will develop action plans to improve representation and provide enhanced support for patients. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 31 August 2023
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Content ArticleThe early use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) improves outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study in the journal Heart investigated AED access across Great Britain according to socioeconomic deprivation. The authors found that in England and Scotland, there are differences in distances to the nearest 24/7 accessible AED between the most and least deprived communities. They concluded that equitable access to ‘out-of-hours’ accessible AEDs may improve outcomes for people with OHCA.
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News Article
UK facing ‘brain drain’ of cancer researchers after failure to join EU scheme
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Top young cancer researchers are leaving the UK in a “brain drain” fuelled by the continuing failure to reach an agreement over the EU’s study programme, scientists warn. The two-and-a-half-year delay in joining the £85bn Horizon Europe scheme, the largest collaborative research programme in the world, has “damaged the UK’s reputation” and made it more difficult to attract and retain the brightest researchers into the nation’s labs. Cancer Research UK (CRUK) surveyed 84 cancer specialists about Horizon Europe and found that three-quarters of respondents favoured association with the programme compared with only 11% who wanted the UK to go it alone with the government’s plan B, known as Pioneer. Prof Julian Downward, head of the Oncogene Biology Lab at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said: “We need Horizon Europe very badly. The current situation is damaging UK science every day. We are losing top junior faculty regularly who decide to move to EU countries so they can take up European Research Council grants.” Read full story Source: Guardian, 25 August 2023 -
Content ArticleThe aim of this study from Hutchinson et al. was to explore the reasons for and experiences of patients who make an unplanned return visit to the emergency department.
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Content ArticleThis study in the Journal of Medical Virology aimed to assess the extent and the disparity in excess acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-associated mortality during the pandemic, focusing on the outbreak of the Omicron strain. Using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Vital Statistics System, the authors found that excess death, defined as the difference between the observed and the predicted mortality rates, was most pronounced for the 25–44 years age group. Excess deaths ranged from 23%–34% for the youngest compared to 13%–18% for the oldest age groups. The trend of mortality suggests that age and sex disparities have persisted even through the Omicron surge, with excess AMI-associated mortality being most pronounced in younger-aged adults.
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Content ArticleThe aim of the Long Covid webinar held on 5 July 2023 was to discuss where we are now with Long Covid clinics and research. The presentation videos from the webinar can be accessed from the link below.
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Content ArticleAll health overuse implies an unnecessary risk of patients suffering adverse events (AEs). However, this hypothesis has not been corroborated by direct estimates for inappropriate hospital admission (IHA). The objectives of the study were (1) to analyse the association between IHA and the development of subsequent AEs; and (2) to explore the distinct clinical and economic implications of AEs subsequent IHA compared to appropriate admissions. It found that patients with IHA have a higher risk of subsequent occurrence of AE. Due to the multifactorial nature of AEs, IHA is a possible contributing factor. AEs developed after IHA are associated with scheduled admissions, prolonged ICU stays, and resulted in significant cost overruns.
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Content ArticleMost people experience a diagnostic error at least once in their lifetime. Patients’ experiences with their diagnosis could provide important insights when setting research priorities to reduce diagnostic error. The objective of this study from Zwaan et al. was to engage patients in research agenda setting for improving diagnosis. Patients were involved in generating, discussing, prioritising, and ranking of research questions for diagnostic error reduction.
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Content ArticleDifferent communities have different needs when it comes to vaccination. Research can show us how to engage with different groups effectively. The latest Collection from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) brings together examples of NIHR research on how to increase vaccine uptake.
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Content ArticleIn a new Lancet Respiratory Medicine Series about Long Covid, Sally J Singh and colleagues discuss the origins of respiratory sequelae and consider the promise of adapted pulmonary rehabilitation programmes and physiotherapy techniques for breathing management. Pratik Pandharipande and colleagues review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of neuropsychological sequelae of COVID-19-related critical illness, highlighting the combined threat of long COVID and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), and outline potential mitigation strategies. Finally, Matteo Parotto and colleagues discuss pathophysiological mechanisms of diverse, multisystem sequelae in adult survivors of critical illness, including longitudinal effects of endothelial and immune system dysfunction, and consider the challenges of providing appropriate care and support for patients.
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Content ArticleThe Trinity Challenge is a coalition of partners united by the common aim of developing insights and actions to contribute to a world better protected from global health emergencies. They focus on three core activities which will improve the use of data and analytics and our understanding of human behaviour in response to health emergencies: Set a new global challenge to the world Facilitate unique collaborations amongst the coalition to improve outcomes Strengthen the data, analytics and learning ecosystem for global public health.
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Content ArticleThe aim of the study was to explore the factors that affect the safety attitude and teamwork climate of Cyprus maternity units and Cypriot midwives. The study found that the safety climate in the maternity settings was negative across all six safety climate domains examined. The higher mean total score on team work and safety climate in the more experienced group of midwives is a predominant finding for the maternity units of Cyprus. It could be suggested that younger midwives need more support and teamwork practice, in a friendly environment, to enhance the safety and teamwork climate through experience and self-confidence.
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Content ArticlePatient satisfaction surveys rely largely on numerical ratings, but applying artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse respondents’ free-text comments can yield deeper insights. AI presents the ability to reveal insights from large sets of this type of unstructured data. The authors’ analysis here presents AI-enabled insights into what different racial and ethnic groups of patients say about physicians’ courtesy and respect. This analysis illustrates one method of leveraging AI to improve the quality and value of care.
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Content ArticleInvestigations suggest that, in some fields, at least one-quarter of clinical trials might be problematic or even entirely made up. This article in Nature looks at the findings of researchers who have been studying clinical trials and calling for greater regulatory scrutiny. It particularly examines the work of John Carlisle, NHS anaesthetist and editor at the journal Anaesthesia, who scrutinised over 500 studies with randomised controlled trials, over a period of three years. Carlisle found that 26% of the papers had problems that were so widespread that the trial was impossible to trust, either because the authors were incompetent or because they had faked the data. He called these ‘zombie’ trials because they had the semblance of real research, but closer scrutiny showed they were masquerading as reliable information.
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Content ArticlePeople dying in UK hospitals without specialist palliative care input frequently have “significant and poorly identified unmet needs,” finds a UK-wide evaluation—the first of its kind—published online in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. In response to the perceived unmet needs of people dying in hospitals, the Association of Palliative Medicine coordinated the first ever prospective evaluation of end of life care against set standards in 88 hospitals across the UK: Seeking Excellence in End-of-life Care UK or SEECareUK. Palliative care specialists assessed how well the holistic needs of 284 adult patients nearing death, but not referred to palliative care services, were being met on one single day between 25 April and 01 May 2022. Patients in emergency care departments or intensive care units weren’t included. Nearly all (93%) of those assessed had demonstrable unmet need, with this deficit more apparent in district general hospitals than it was in teaching hospitals or cancer centres. It is estimated that 1 in 10 patients admitted to UK hospitals will die during their inpatient stay. As specialist palliative care teams often function as a consult service, referral from the managing team is required. But complexities around recognising that a patient is dying and the stigma associated with palliative care mean these referrals are frequently not made, say the researchers of this study.
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News Article
Chronic fatigue guidance discouraging exercise is flawed, say researchers
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
New guidance for doctors discouraging them from recommending exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue patients is not evidence based, according to researchers. A study questions the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) review process for this guideline for clinicians dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) patients and its use of scientific standards in considering the evidence. One of the study’s lead authors, Prof Trudie Chalder from the psychiatry department at King’s College London said: “The decision to change the guideline has had a direct effect on doctors’ and therapists’ ability to treat patients. Services are no longer able to provide a full range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions. “This could have a devastating impact on people’s lives in that they will no longer be able to access the treatment that could help them the most.” ME, also called CFS, is a long-term condition believed to affect about 25,000 people in the UK, which has a wide range of symptoms including extreme tiredness, muscle pain, mental fogginess and insomnia. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 July 2023 -
Content ArticleThe author of this blog published by Sling the Mesh, writes that ever year new healthcare treatments are launched underpinned by flawed, mischievous, flimsy and fraudulent scientific evidence – also known as cheating. They look at different types of cheating and argue that cheating helped push surgical mesh implants as ‘gold standard’.
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Content ArticleToo many women are dying from disadvantage in one of the poorest parts of England, according to ground breaking new research which serves as an urgent wake-up call for levelling up efforts. The report by Agenda Alliance and Changing Lives, Dismantling disadvantage has found that in 2021 a woman in the North East of England was 1.7 times more likely to die early as a result of suicide, addiction, or murder by a partner or family member than in the rest of England and Wales. Today’s new research was conducted to better understand the lives and needs of disadvantaged women in the North East, including Newcastle, coastal areas and Gateshead and Sunderland; some of the poorest regions in the country. Working with women with lived experience at every stage, the study involved 18 in-depth interviews, 47 survey responses; focus groups; data analysis and multiple meetings with affected women, practitioners and policy makers.
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News Article
Study finds rise in psychological distress in young adults
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
There has been a rise in the number of young adults in England who report feelings of severe distress, according to a new survey. The study found one in five 18 to 24-year-olds said they experienced severe distress at the end of 2022, compared to around one in seven in 2021. The research suggested reports of severe distress rose across all age groups, except for those over 65. Experts have pointed to the pandemic, cost of living and healthcare crisis. Researchers used a point-based score during telephone interviews to assess severe distress for the survey. People had not necessarily sought clinical help or a diagnosis at this point. The research team, including academics from King's College London and University College London (UCL), say the rise in reports needs to be urgently addressed. Read full story Source: BBC News, 7 July 2023 -
Content ArticleA study from Jackson et al. looked at how the prevalence of psychological distress in the adult population of England has changed since 2020. The study found that the proportion reporting any psychological distress was similar in December 2022 to that in April 2020 (an extremely difficult and uncertain moment of the COVID-19 pandemic), but the proportion reporting severe distress was 46% higher. These findings provide evidence of a growing mental health crisis in England and underscore an urgent need to address its cause and to adequately fund mental health services.
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Content ArticleUsing new technologies in the NHS could bring multiple benefits. They could save healthcare professionals’ time, increase the number of people a skilled professional can support, and enable more sustainable workforce models. At the same time, they can promote safer and more personalised care. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) have published their latest Collection brings together NIHR research demonstrating how digital technology can improve care while reducing the demands on staff.
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Content ArticleFollowing an extensive process of internal and external engagement, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has published their corporate plan for the next 3 years. Their priorities are: Maintain public trust through transparency and proactive communication Enable healthcare access to safe and effective medical products Deliver scientific and regulatory excellence through strategic partnerships Become an agency where people flourish alongside a responsive customer service culture.
